Okami and Lister to Ring in the New Year at UFC 92

It is being reported that UFC submission guru Dean Lister will be taking on middleweight top contender Yushin Okami at UFC 92. The UFC has been struggling to add quality bouts to their New Year’s Eve card, which historically has been one of their most exciting events each and every year. Both fighters have been recovering from injuries since their last bouts, however they are now fully healed and will be ready to go come December 27th.

“It’s a really good fight,” Lister told MMAWeekly.com. “[Okami’s] really skilled. I heard he’s real strong, and I believe he’s a pretty tall guy. He’s a south paw. I’m going to have to have a great game plan for this guy.”

Lister has been recovering from knee injury, which forced him to pull out of a bout against Thales Leites at UFC Fight Night 15. He has won four of his last five bouts, all coming in the UFC.

Lister’s injury was not nearly as costly as Okami’s, as he was taken out of consideration for a shot at 185-pound champion Anderson Silva at UFC 90. Okami suffered a hand injury in training and has been rehabbing ever since. The Japanese fighter is one of the division’s hottest, winning eight of his last nine bouts.

UFC 92 will be headlined by the two coaches of this season’s “The Ultimate Fighter.” Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will be challenging interim champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.